Irrigating device for electrical ground connections.



B.J.J0NES. IRRIGATING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL GROUND CONNECTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.10,1908.

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BUDD J. JONES, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IRRIGATING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL GROUND CONNECTIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Application filed February 16, 1303. Serial No. 5,07

To (all whom ti may concern.

Be it known that l, Benn J. Jones, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful of similar character, p aced aroundthe pole,

in combination with conduit through which the ground connectingconductor extends, this rope, or article of similar character, leadinginto the conduit.

In the drawing, which serves to illustrate my invention: Figure l is aside elevation of part of a pole provided with my invention andillustrating how the conduit with the conductor inside of it extendsinto the ground to connect to the ground plate. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveView of a pole on an enlarged scale, showing how the rope is placedaround the pole and how it extends into the conduit. 3 is a longitudinalsectional view of the conduit with the conductor inside of it, and withthe ends of the rope extending into tne conduit, the conductor and endsof the rope being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a perspective view 1'the side of the pole opposite to that illustrated in Fig. 2.

The form of ground plate illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing is thatillustrated and described in a former patent issued to me, but the partof the installation with which the present invention is concerned doesnot involve the ue of any particular form of ground plate, but includesas an essential feature a conduit 1 extending parallel with the pole 2and secured thereto by means of fastenings 3. This conduit 1 extends upthe pole to a height suflicient that it may form a protection to theconductor which runs through it, against damage, intentional orotherwise, and this conduit extends downward into the ground andsurrounds the conductor at as far as the ground plate 5, where theconductor 4.- is electrically connected to the ground plate 5. As willbe noted, the

construction is such that the moisture from the ground may )errneatethrough its structure, the niateria s of which are such that a mosteflicient electrical connection is made with the adjacent ground, theeiliciency or" which connection is increased by the dampness of theground and of the mater ls of which the ground plate is constructed.This observation will apply equally to an well known form of groundplate, but the ground plate herein illustrated, being portable andself-contained, has advantages which, however, need not be describedherein, since it forms no essential part of the invention.

l/Vhatever kind of ground plate is used, it will be more efficient ifthe ground is maintained in a damp condition, than if the ground heallowed to dry out around it. in places where the ground is dry, owingto the scarcity of rain fall, or to the nature of the ground, it isdesirable that such rain fall as there is may be utilized to thegreatest advantage in maintaining the ground in damp condition aroundthe ground plates. For this purpose I add to the function of the conduit1, which function consists in forming a protection for the conductor l,the function of conducting water to the ground plate from the surface ofthe pole 2, by placing around the pole, near the upper end of theconduit 1, a rope 6 which has its ends extending into the upper part ofthe conduit 1. This rope 6 is made to tightly embrace the pole 2 bysecuring it with staples 7 so that water running down the surface of thepole during rain fall, will be obstructed by this rope and conductedtoward the conduit 1. The flow of the water into the conduit 1 from theobstructing rope is facilitated by passing the rope around the poleobliquely in a direction inclined to the axis of the pole. In Fig. 2,the arrows indicate the direction of the flow of the water when thusconducted, and it will be noted that the end portions of the rope,coming together into the conduit, form the most eflicient means ofentrance of the water into the conduit. The rope thus placed around thepole takes the form of a girdle or cincture. It will be readilyunderstood that any article similar to a rope in form and structure maybe substituted for the rope, such as insulated wire or other materialwhich may be found convenient to those engaged in installing the poleline. However, the funicular character ground plate is perforated andits general 1 of the article, whether it be rope, wire or other article,allows it to be passed around the pole and made to conform closely tothe surface thereof while its two ends both extending into the conduit 1constitute it a most efficient device for the special purpose ofobstructing and diverting the flow of the water down the surface of thepole to conduct the water into the conduit.

I prefer to use rope, as illustrated, and in order that it may be wellpreserved against the action of the weather, it should be tarred orotherwise treated with an efiicient preservative material. The conduit 1may be of any of the well known materials used for conduits forelectrical conductors, and shouid open freely at its lower end to allowthe escape of water which it conducts, so that the water may permeatefreely into the ground around the ground plate and through the materialscomposing the ground plate. The ends of the rope or other funicular bodyused to form the girdle or cincture around the pole, should extend downinto the conduit a sufficient distance to insure against their beinwithdrawn from the conduit.

in installing my invention in connection with the usual groundconnections, it will be found that a rope or similar article of aboutone-half inch diameter will be sufficiently large, and it should extenddown into the conduit about four or five inches. The conductor l, as isusual, may be secured to the pole by staples 8, as shown.

While I have shown and specifically described certain details ofconstruction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to them,but

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an irrigating device for electrical ground connections, thecombination with a pole and an electrical ground connecting conductorthereon, of a conduit through which the conductor extends into theground, and a funicular cincture surrounding the pole, independent ofthe ground conductor, and extending obliquely to the axis of the polewith both of its ends extending into the conduit, substantially as andfor the purposes specilied.

2. In an irrigating device for electrical ground connections, thecombination with a pole, an electrical ground connecting conductor 011the pole, and a ground plate to which the ground connecting conductor isconnected of a conduit, through which the conductor extends to theground plate, adapted to conduct water to the ground adjacent to theground plate, and a funicular cincture surrounding the pole independentof the ground connecting conductor and extending obliquely to the axisof the pole, with both of its ends extending into the conduit,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

BUDD J. JONES.

Witnesses:

JAMES N. RAMSEY, STELLA RUTZ.

